TRANSFER GOSSIP
Alan Shearer is to take over as Newcastle United manager for the remaining eight games of the season as the club battle to avoid Premier League relegation.(Various)
Ade Akinbiyi could be playing for Houston Dynamo in the Major League Soccer in the US as soon as this weekend if he agrees a pay-off at Burnley. (Daily Mail)
Derby goalkeeper Roy Carroll wants to quit the club in the summer after losing his place in the team to Stephen Bywater. (The Sun)
Sheffield Wednesday have beaten local rivals Sheffield United to the signature of veteran striker Dele Adebola. (Daily Star)
OTHER GOSSIP
Robert Lee is in line to work as Alan Shearer's assistant when his return to Newcastle as manager is confirmed. (Daily Mail)
West Ham striker Carlton Cole could be out for the rest of the season after injuring his groin on England duty. (The Sun)
David Beckham has been named the world's richest footballer for the fifth time, according to a survey by France Football. His total income for last year was £32.4m, putting him ahead of Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho. (Daily Express)
The Football Association has delayed plans to launch a women's super league for 12 months because of the financial crisis. (Daily Mail)
Wolves striker Michael Kightly could be out for up to three months with a suspected broken foot. (The Times)
Darlington's administrators have set a deadline of 20 April for potential buyers of the club to come forward. (The Sun)
Clyde are on the brink of being closed down after North Lanarkshire Council began trying to evict them from Broadwood Stadium. (Daily Record)
AND FINALLY
England coach Fabio Capello says Sir Alex Ferguson told him he felt "crazy" after paying £27m for Wayne Rooney from Everton in 2004. (Daily Express)
Capello also requested that the badge on the new England shirt be put higher than usual to avoid rubbing on players' nipples. (Daily Star)
Tottenham will keep the fans close to the pitch at their proposed new 58,000-seater stadium to replicate the atmosphere of White Hart Lane. (The Sun)
Liverpool defender Daniel Agger, a trained tattoo artist, says he will tattoo the whole team if they win the Premier League title. (The Sun)
Sir Alan Sugar says he hopes England open up a commanding lead in the first half against Ukraine - so fans watching the game on television will turn over to The Apprentice on BBC1 at half-time. (Daily Mirror)
US President Barack Obama will travel to Eastbourne Borough's Blue Square Premier game against Ebbsfleet on Saturday, in order to watch his cousin Achtog Laprifolo play for Borough. (Eastbourne official website)
Port Vale are to change their name to Burslem Port Vale next season, and have unveiled a new badge suspiciously similar in outline to rivals Stoke's. (Port Vale official website)
Several clubs have revealed new shirts today - such as York's one-off purple shirt to be worn at the FA Trophy final, Lewes's one-off green and black shirt to mark the announcement of the South Downs as a National Park, and Wigan's switch to red and white halves next season to reflect a kit worn in 1932. (Various)
Bury are to raise some much-needed revenue by staging a Monster Truck racing weekend on their Gigg Lane pitch, where the trucks will go head-to-head with the groundsman's tractor. (Bury official website)
Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey is in talks to star in the next series of Strictly Come Dancing, alongside Hungarian sensation Lora Pliof. (Wolves official website)
Barnsley will pioneer a Football League initiative whereby their players and managers will wear microphones wired up to the Oakwell PA system as part of an anti-swearing campaign. (Barnsley official website)
Accrington Stanley have offered former Premier League referee Jeff Winter the role of stadium development manager, after he recently criticised the facilities at their ground. (Accrington official website)
Plymouth have unveiled a new club badge paying homage to their Scottish manager Paul Sturrock and their Japanese investors, as designed by French typographer Una Avrille. (Plymouth official website)
And finally... injuries, suspensions and illness are causing several managers and coaches to come out of retirement for this weekend's games - including Swansea manager Roberto Martinez, Walsall assistant manager Martin O'Connor and Barnsley coach Kelham O'Hanlon. (Various)
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